Around
70 protesters met outside Parliament with tape over their mouths and
pots and pans in their hands fighting for the right to oppose
exploratory oil drilling.
The protest is in
response to the Government’s proposal to change the law so applications
by oil companies go through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
but will be non-notified meaning the public will not get to have a say.
The
proposal is to be introduced to the Marine Legislation Bill through a
Supplementary Order Paper and not through a select committee.
Climate change group 350
Aotearoa organised the protest and say the proposed change will remove
the right for the public to make submissions on exploratory deep-sea
drilling for oil and gas.
The group says the process only allows for a "quick rubber stamping" of the applications by the EPA.
"They
[the Government] say it is justified to rush the process because
drilling an exploratory well takes 4-6 weeks, so it is unfair to make
companies go through more than a very quick sign-off," a spokesperson
says.
However, the timing is not the issue.
Rather it is the potential damage and risk that comes with exploratory
drilling that needs more consideration, the group says.
3 News
Thursday 05 Sep 2013 3:30p.m.
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